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Recognition Day April 2019

Writers and Readers’ Room

Poetry Parlour

Loving AyahRead and rate this story.

The aroma of coffee engulfed the house. It was raining heavily. I sat to write, the small table was near the window.

Meera our house-keeper brought the freshly made coffee in a mug.

She knows when I write I need the coffee.

“I must finish the biography of our beloved ayah.” I opened the diary to write. Bright lightning followed by a heavy thunder, I closed my ears with my palms.

Lightening and thunder always scare me. When I was a child on hearing thunder sound I used to go under the bed. It was our ayah who always brought me out and took me to her arms.

Her face flashed before my eyes. That lovely face, with the gold stud on her nose. My mother had made it for her, as her left nostril had a pierce.

How much we loved her, my mother and we siblings. Maa had confidence in her. Whenever she was going out with Papa, on his official tours, she believed we would be treated well.

Our aunts teased us by saying “why you are calling her ayah call her ayahma. She is like a mother to you.” Yes, she was like our second mother.

A lightening followed by a thunder, I could visualise her loving face again. My eyes welled up. A tear ran through my cheeks. Meera came to take back the mug. She found me crying. “No maa no. Didi will come during the puja holidays. It is time, Babu will return from office. What will he think ?”

Meera thought I was crying for my daughter, who had left for the hostel d\two days back. Can Meera will ever be so loving and caring to my daughter as our ayah used to be? No, never.

Jalebi was my favourite, whenever we four, two sisters and two brothers would be eating Ayah used to give me one extra.

One of my brothers complained to Maa,“see ayah has given one extra to Minu. Why she is always favouring her? Maa! tell us the truth. Is Minu Ayah’s own daughter? Three of them would start teasing me “ You are Ayah’s daughter. You are Ayah’s daughter.”

Then I would start crying. “Maa is it true? I’m Ayah’s daughter. Not yours? Maa would laugh. By taking me to her lap she would say “ My cute princess they are making you fool. As you are the youngest one they are mocking you.

She would then scold ayah before those three. Then she would take her aside and would tell,”give your extra love to Minu while she is alone not before her brothers and sister.

Why I’m thinking so much about our Ayah today? Why I’m getting so emotional? Oh My God !! today is 5th July. On this day she left us three years ago for her heavenly abode.